In the farming and agriculture industries, a variety of apparatuses are used to prepare the soil, such as harrows and plows. Harrows and plows may incorporate discs, chisels, or other components. One common method to till the soil uses discs and is known as disking. However, disking is very inefficient as it typically requires multiple passes to get the proper depth and tillage. This results in excessive wear and tear, fuel, hours on tractors and equipment, and soil compaction due to multiple passes with the equipment. Often, fields with large quantities of crop residue require a pass with a mowing or shredding device prior to disking. Rototillers dig up the soil, but are very slow and high maintenance as a result—especially for heavily compacted soil. Chisel-type sub-soilers and sweeps fracture ground well, but leave a very rough surface. There is also a lot of top soil and organic matter in the way, which requires more horsepower to drag through it.
The typical disc has two sets of gangs, one behind another. The rear discs aren't as efficient because they must disc (cut) through matter that the front discs throw back. This means that the same soil is often maneuvered twice: once by the front discs and once by the rear discs. This also means that the rear discs cannot reach the depths needed. In order to ensure proper disking, the operator of the tractor will generally ensure that its speed does not exceed around 7 miles per hour—any faster and the discs throw dirt and soil, which can create furrows. The more discs in the system, the greater the horsepower required to turn the discs.
Rototillers make soil ready for planting by making it fine and level. However, standard rototillers till unnecessarily deep, which not only buries organic matter, but takes excessive horsepower and fuel. Burying organic matter creates rot and carbon dioxide, which creates soil imbalances and kills microorganisms. Rototillers also move very slowly, which creates significant and unwarranted wear on the tiller.
As such, there remains a need for equipment that can prepare the soil more efficiently, thereby using less fuel and creating a more nutrient rich soil. The present invention solves these and other problems.